De-freezing of relations with Cuba.

[Say_What]

<clips>

For the first time in fourteen years an Argentine Foreign Affairs minister visited Cuba for 48 hours to re-establish full diplomatic relations and as a clear sign of “political willingness from both governments to give a greater thrust to the bilateral relationship”.

Argentine Foreign Minister Bielsa
and cuban Felipe Perez Roque
Mr. Rafael Bielsa travelled with Argentina’s new Ambassador Raul Taeb who will be presenting his credentials to Fidel Castro in the coming hours.

Cuban-Argentine relations were virtually frozen since February 2001 when Mr. Castro called the then Argentine administration of President Fernando De la Rúa, “yanki boot lickers” for having supported a United Nations human rights abuse condemnation of the Cuban regime.

However the situation begun to improve last April when former president Eduardo Duhalde, contrary to Mr. De la Rúa and Mr. Menem, decided to abstain in a vote on human rights involving Cuba. A month later Fidel Castro visited Buenos Aires to participate in the taking office ceremonies of elected president Nestor Kirchner, where he was “warmly received” by the Argentine people and government, according to the official Cuban newspaper Granma.

http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=2720

[seventhson]

1. I hope he watches his back

Our american terroristas are bound to be pissed at Duhalde

[Say_What]

2. They can join the crowd, as anti-Cuba writer Andres Oppenheimer

wrote last week, more countries than Argentina are renewing their relationships with the island. Latin America knows first hand the type of *democracy* the US brings ala Chile, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, etc., etc.,--hundreds of thousands lie cold in their graves because of US *democracy* all over Central and South America (not to mention the rest of the globe).

<clips>

Just when the 15-member European Union and some of the world's best-known leftist intellectuals are lashing out against the worst wave of repression in Cuba in many years, several Latin American countries that claim to be champions of human rights are upgrading ties with the Cuban dictatorship.

Yes, I am talking of Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela, three countries that -- while claiming to be politically progressive -- seem to be going against the international human rights movement. And I wouldn't bet against Mexico, which has held a pro-democracy stand on Cuba for the past four years, joining them in the coming months.

Earlier this year, after Cuba's president for life Fidel Castro condemned 75 peaceful opponents -- including 25 journalists -- to up to 28 years in jail for crimes such as writing articles in foreign newspapers, the European Union ordered its diplomats to downgrade contacts with the Cuban regime and upgrade ties with the democratic opposition.

<http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/columnists/andres_oppenheimer/6967446.htm>

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<clips>

America's Allies
THE FRIENDLY DICTATORS
Meet the Friendly Dictators - three dozen* of America's most embarrassing "friends", a cunning crew of tyrants and corrupt puppet-presidents who have been rewarded handsomely for their loyalty to U.S. interests.

Traditional Dictators seize control through force and often are self-styled "Generals." Constitutional Dictators hold office through voting fraud or severely restricted elections and are frequently mouthpieces for the military juntas which control the ballot boxes. Both types of dictators are covered here, along with a few tyrannical kings. but don't look for "enemy dictators" (communists and the like) in this set of cards. These are America's allies, strange and undemocratic as they may be.

Friendly Dictators often rise to power through bloody CIA-backed coups and rule by terror and torture. Their troops may receive training or advice from the CIA and other U.S. agencies. "Anti-communism" is their common battle cry and a common excuse for political repression. They are linked internationally through extreme right-wing groups such as the World Anti-Communist League (see card 17). Strong Nazi affiliations are typical - some have been known to dress in Nazi paraphemalia and quote from Mein Kampf, while others offer sanctuary for actual Nazi war criminals.

Friendly Dictators usually grow rich, while their countries' economies go down the drain. U.S. tax dollars and U.S. backed loans have made billionaires of some; others are international drug dealers who also collect CIA paychecks. Rarely are they called to account for their crimes.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/korob/fdtcards/Cards_Index.html

[bemildred]

3. So many disobedient Latin American leaders to overthrow,

so little time. I suspect nothing at all will happen to this
fellow. The big item on their list has to be Chavez, and they
can't seem to get enough traction there. :-)